Michigan

[RaZ]

Nice views of your place, chickmate. I'll bet it really nice when it's dry.

The wind is picking up here so the rain is blowing everywhere and it looks like I might have a roof leak on the house. Will have to keep an eye on that.

I'm leaving the garage lights on today in hopes of the chickens staying indoors and dry. Of course they are out in the yard and look like drowned rats even though they have the tent coop to go in. I think that they miss the TV and are bored.

They did present me with 4 eggs so far today, including another little green egg. Not that I'm rubbing it in or anything, especially since you were all so kind as I anxiously awaited my first egg several weeks ago.

Now would someone please motivate me to do my homework?

 

[AngelaB]

Okay, since integration is not going well, I am going to move my silkies back into the garage where they have more room. There just isn't room in the coop for thier cage and the other chickens to have enough space to work around. I have found a dog house, that I am going to convert into a coop for them. But, that has to wait until the ground hardens to go get it out of my friend's yard, due to the mud. It is going to go right next to my big coop and the runs will eventually be right next to each other. But, for now, this is the best for all involved.

 

[Olive Hill]

They're about to introduce legislation that would open up the MI Right to Farm Act for the first time in its history. This bill would give Detroit the right to regulate agriculture within the city over and above the Right to Farm Act, which previously has precluded cities from introducing ordinances and regulations to control commercial agriculture above and beyond GAAMPS. This is a slippery slope, folks. It's time to let your voices be heard.

More info: http://www.freep.com/article/201111...would-create-Right-Farm-Act-exemption-Detroit

 

[RaZ]

I understand that the Michigan Farm Bureau is against the bill.

BTW, some of the comments on the article are hilarious.

 

[Opa]

I wonder why it is that Detroit always get to change laws to fit their views rather than one approved by the rest of the people in the state. I remember the state overwhelmingly voting against casino gambling and a year later it is approved for Detroit. Now Detroit wants all of us to bail them out of their history of graft and mismanagement.

 

[1muttsfan]

I should have said that sheepshead have teeth that look like human teeth - really wierd. But they are good eating! The biggest one we landed was 19 inches, they are very powerful and several broke the heavy line we were using.

Drove down Grand River Avenue from the outskirts of Detroit to downtown 2 months ago - very sad seeing all those beautiful homes and other buildings falling to ruin. Even if they could be fixed, who would want to spend the money and then end up in a terrible neighborhood? I heard on NPR that Detroit has lost 60% of its population. Looking at those areas I can believe it.

 

[Jenerva]

We live 25 min from downtown Detroit. We make a point to drive in to town often- to eat, go to a market, go to a bookstore- anything. When we spend time there, it doesn't feel empty or sad. We feel like we went somewhere important.

 

[franklinstreetwest]

Who would we contact if we wanted to voice our opinion about maintaining the RTFA?

 

[Olive Hill]

Quote:
Your representatives. They will be the ones voting on it.

House: http://www.house.mi.gov/mhrpublic/frmRepList.aspx
Senate: http://www.senate.michigan.gov/fysenator/fysenator.htm

 

[Opa]

I sure was glad to look outside and see that the rain had finally quit. I wasn't so happy to see that it had been replaced with snow. I had though we might get through November without any. While the accumulation isn't going to be much it is the start of what is probably going to be a long, long winter.

For the past to summers I have used nipple waterers with great success, but unfortunately I have to switch to different waters once the temperatures start approaching the freezing mark. In on coop I use a 3 gallon metal waterer sitting on a cookie can heater. In the bantam coop I use a 3 gallon heated waterer but it is a pain to fill. I have to remove it from the coop, invert it, pull the bottom fill plug, add water, reinstall plug, and then flip it back upright without it coming apart.

On another thread I read where someone was using a plastic pail with nipple waterers installed in the bottom and then using an aquarium heater to keep the water from freezing. I think I may have to set one up for the bantam. It could be refilled without removing it from the coop thereby making the winter watering just a little easier.